The ACORNing of the WFP

Will the Working Families Party become the ACORN/Charlie Rangel/Rev. Wright/Nancy Pelosi of New York’s 2010 election?

A just-released press release from state Senate hopeful and Grammy-nominated pianist Andrew Russo, who is angling for the GOP slot against Sen. David Valesky, D-Oneida, suggests that news of the federal subpoena against the WFP and its for-profit arm is being field-tested as a cudgel to be used against any Democrat who has enjoyed the WFP’s support.

New York State Senate Candidate Andrew Russo today called on State Senator David Valesky to break ties with the State’s ultra-liberal Working Families party over yesterday’s stunning disclosure that they are under federal investigation for possible violations of both state and federal election laws.

The Party’s Executive Director Dan Cantor has confirmed that a probe is underway and that subpoenas have been delivered by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District.

“Albany incumbent David Valesky should immediately break ties with the State’s Working Families Party and vow to run without their endorsement, without their support and without their tainted campaign cash in November. These are serious allegations and they deserve a serious response,” Russo said.

Rest of the release after the jump.

According to Russo, Senator Valesky has routinely run with the endorsement of the State’s Working Families Party despite the fact that the party does not represent the interests of real working families.

“The far-left agenda of the Working Families Party, which includes higher taxes and more union giveaways, is quietly and systematically destroying New York State. The real working families that I talk to want lower taxes, more jobs and a fair playing field that allows them to raise their children in the communities they grew up in and continue to love,” Russo said.

Just this year, the Working Families Party was the driving force behind $8.5 billion in new taxes Valesky and his NYC Democrat colleagues approved in the State Budget. Those tax increases have made it even more difficult for struggling Central New York families to make ends meet, Russo noted.

In addition, Valesky supported the so-called “Green Jobs” bill (S5888) pushed by the Working Families Party, which will funnel millions of dollars to New York City-based community organizations such as ACORN, a scandal-scarred front group that works hand-in-hand with the Party. Valesky voted to spend these funds even though the State Budget was nearly $4 billion in the red and the State was already spending $1.5 billion for similar programs.

“Just who does Senator Valesky represent: The hard-working taxpayers of Cayuga, Madison, Oneida and Onondaga counties or an ultraliberal fringe group that’s currently being investigated by the feds?” Russo asked. “It’s time to shut down the endless cycle of the Working Families Party funding Democrat campaigns and Democrat incumbents recycling money back to those organizations at taxpayer expense.”